Staff photo by Cindy Hepner"Novel Nitters" founder Linda Eisenberg knits a lap blanket at A Novel Idea Chapter Two to donate to the Cumberland Manor.

HOPEWELL TWP. — When Linda Eisenberg frequently visited her late father years ago at the Cumberland Manor, she was saddened by the number of senior residents who seemed lonely. Although arrangements could be made to allow family members to share a meal with a resident, Eisenberg noticed that one woman never had a guest and reached out to be there for her.

“I knitted her a blanket, and you would’ve thought I had given her a million dollars, she was so happy,” Eisenberg said. “That stayed with me.”

In this spirit, on Tuesday afternoons from 1-3 p.m., Eisenberg now hosts a knitting/crocheting group called “Novel Nitters,” which plans to donate lap blankets and shawls to the Cumberland Manor at the end of the month through the Rev. Robert Burroughs, the husband of a group member, who often spends time with seniors there.

The group only began meeting at the beginning of the year at Eisenberg’s store, A Novel Idea Chapter Two in Dutch Neck Village, but has already made two lap blankets and one shawl.

“It takes me about one week to make one shawl, but we have five other regular members: Annamarie Sirota, Jacqulyn Burroughs, Dolores Lairson, Denise Lairson and Rita Mongelli,” said Eisenberg. “We would like to be able to donate at least five shawls and five lap blankets this month.”

After operating the original A Novel Idea from 1984-1995 and opening A Novel Idea Chapter Two in November 2009, Eisenberg would like the book store to now also serve as a source of community projects. In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, she publicly requested donations of bathroom products and clean, gently used bed sheets to donate to the Cumberland County Women’s Center, an organization providing counseling and shelter to victims of domestic abuse.

“One lady brought two full shopping bags, and another woman with children with her brought a whole cardboard box of products and another bag with it,” said Eisenberg, gesturing to a large, overflowing basket of shampoo, soap, dental floss and other items. “The women’s shelter always needs stuff, and we can do a couple projects at a time.”

After learning to knit at seven years old as a Brownie, she has taught herself new skills along the way, developing a preference for 10-inch round needles and the ability to work without a pattern. Today, as a grandmother of seven, Eisenberg is happy to pass along her crafting knowledge.

“Now I’m teaching my seven-year-old granddaughter,” she said. “Come by with needles and yarn on any Tuesday afternoon when you have time, and I’ll teach you how to knit.”

Sirota, a long-time crocheter who has only been knitting for six months, demonstrated the value of this guidance, asking Eisenberg, “Two purl, two knit?” as she began a pink shawl.

“I’m here for the company and to do something good for the community,” Sirota said.